Deposits of bacteria upon the teeth (so-called dental plaque) are the cause of caries as well as teeth-loosening diseases (periodontitis). The deposits of bacteria are collected where they are best protected from the action of the chewing friction and the cleaning by the conventional tooth brush. It has also been established that the greatest loss of tooth attachment tissue takes place in the dental interspaces. As a rule, the most severe caries damage is present upon tooth faces adjacent to the dental interspaces.
In a vertical cross-sectional view the dental interspace takes the general shape of an isosceles triangle, the base of which is considerably shorter than the sides thereof. In a horizontal cross-sectional view the dental interspace is generally shaped as an hourglass on account of the round or oval cross-section of the teeth. Young persons with sound gums have their dental interspaces almost completely filled out by the gum papilla. These persons usually clean the tooth faces next to the interspace by means of a tooth thread or dental floss or a triangular pointed tooth pick which in this case has a sufficient cleaning effect.
On the other hand, if gum inflammation proceeds into teeth loosening, the mandible and other attachments of the tooth start deteriorating towards the tip of the tooth root. The gum papilla disappears and the dental interspace, triangular in the vertical cross-section, is laid bare. In these cases, a so-called interdental brush has been used hitherto as means for cleaning the dental interspaces. Such a brush resembles a bottle-brush, i.e. it is of even width and circular cross-section. The round core consists of metal threads twisted together and grasping the brush bristles projecting in all directions. It is self-evident that a round brush bristle or rounded toothpick is suboptimal for efficient cleaning of the triangular dental interspaces.
Prior art interdental cleaning devices include various known designs for tooth brushes, toothpicks, and water jet devices provided to clean the interdental spaces of debris that might lead to plaque formation and periodontal inflammation if left in place. In the known prior art, tooth brushes are generally provided with solid bristles, most commonly of nylon monofilament construction. Other solid polymers and natural fibers have also been used for bristles in prior art tooth brush design. Similarly, while toothpicks and similar interdental cleaners have been described with non-rounded cross-sectional structures, the prior art devices are disclosed and used only with solid structure designs of wood, plastics, and various other materials.
It would be useful, therefore, for an interdental cleaning device to be provided with a porous cleaning surface that may be adapted to better clean the interdental spaces. Such porous interdental cleaners may also be used to deliver pharmaceutical or other active agents to the interdental space to provide desired local therapy for conditions within the interdental spaces.